Fatal Frame 2 Crimson Butterfly
by Krazy Kit Productions
Summary: Novelization of the game Fatal Frame/ Project Zero 2.    Off of Hiatus !
1. Prologue Crimson Butterfly

**Prologue; The Crimson Butterfly**

"_Didn't we always promise each other…that we would always be together_?"

The forest was deathly silent, or perhaps she simply couldn't take notice of anything over the pounding of her own rapid heart which was now echoing soundly in her ears. Petite brown eyes widened as a long moment passed, then another. Still, there was no sign of life within the thick brush; her sister had not uttered a word after the desperate scream the pieced the otherwise peaceful woods. The young five year old slowly edged herself to the hill of the path, which slopped dangerously. "Ma…yu..?" The child whispered, her little body shuttering as she peeked over the incline to see her sister sprawled out, one leg twisted in an unnatural way.

Mio felt her tiny body grip with terror as she fell to her knees, her white dress growing dirty around the edges from touching the ground ever so slightly. She cupped her hand over her mouth as she stared at the body of her twin, lips twisted into a 'o' of alarm. She didn't know what else to utter besides the first words that left her mouth; "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" She sobbed.

The memory was still painfully fresh, even though it had been practically eleven years ago. Mio's psyche had been forever stained by that incident, partially from the strong sense of guilt she felt. The scent of spring and the trickle of water brought the teenager back to her surroundings, staring idly down at the small stream a few feet in front of her. The water slapped up against the rocks, creating a soothing sound. Sitting on an old stump near the edge, Mio Amakura folded her hands into her lap after tugging on her white skirt to straighten it. It had been quite a while since she had visited the forest that she played at, back as a child. Its vibrant greens and dusty browns gave the place a tranquil feeling. Mio's lips pulled into a tiny frown, remembering the construction for a dam that would be placed here. Soon, this place would be a memory of her childhood days. They had moved away already, due to Mayu's health; a trip to grandmas, however, put them close to their childhood playground once more. The twins only thought it right to say goodbye to the place where they spent most of their days chasing butterflies and playing in the brook that ran through it. Suddenly, she felt the slight pressure of two hands, each on either of her shoulders. "We used to play her all the time."

A soft voice from above caused Mio to stare up at the face of her younger sister, returning the smile she was given. It was as though she were staring into a mirror, though Mio always felt as though her sister had a more timid and very gentle aura then herself, as well as a smaller voice. Both twins had shoulder length ebony black hair and wide chocolate brown eyes like that of a white tailed deer.

"Yea…"

There were a few distinct differences between the twin sisters. Mio had always been outgoing and the protective sibling, watching over Mayu. Mio also didn't have a limp when she walked like her sister, even though she'd give anything to take away the pain Mayu had. After falling from the path, trying to keep up with her, Mayu had to have surgery done to her left leg. She recovered quite well, but would always have a limp and was told not to over exert herself by any means.

"All of this will be gone soon." Mayu said as she pulled away softly, her doe like eyes sad.

Mayu was always the kind of person that appreciated nature. She had cried when their father had cut a few limbs off the tree in their front yard even, though that was when they were still young. Mio's concern made her switch the subject, a subject that was still upsetting her to this day. "Is your leg okay? Does it hurt?" She asked as she looked behind her, biting her lower lip as she glanced at her injury.

The knee was slightly swollen and Mio knew that the girl's tan colored boots probably weren't fit for walking long distances, which made it worse. Mayu also wore a delicate brown mini dress with a white mini skirt underneath, letting the decorative white ruffles show below the hem. The front of the dress was adorned with a white patch that started just above Mayu's stomach and then worked its way upward, spreading out into lining the dresses' collar and straps on the inside. A red lace bow was placed near the neck of the dress. Underneath, Mayu wore a simple black dress shirt, the sleeves short and rimmed with lace.

Not exactly something you'd wear into the woods. Not that she was dressed any better. She had on a white mini skirt that also had beautiful lace on the bottom and a brown dressy shirt with the same pattern as her sisters' only with sleeves of its own and a more opened neck. She also decided to sport a black tank top underneath instead of another dress shirt. Unlike her sister though, she had the smarts to put on a pair of grey black leggings, to cover her when they walked. Other than the outfits they wore, they seemed identical in every way possible. Even in height and weight. Mayu moved to sit down on the stump, back to back with Mio, finally answering her worried question. "It does a little, but I'm fine!" She said, leaning back for support.

Mayu probably wouldn't have admitted to the throbbing pain anyways, since she was always trying to stay strong and not slow her elder sibling down. "Mio…?"

"Yes?"

"…Um, never mind." Mayu decided sighing, looking back to the leafy green trees.

Mio felt her heart give a dull ache. The younger sibling was always anxious to give her opinion or even speak her mind to Mio like she had before. Her eyes narrowed down at the vibrant ground, lips forming a small frown as she could still see her sister's frail body lying lifeless. Mio had never brought herself to speak of the accident with Mayu, only because every time she tried, the younger sibling would simply change the subject in a rush. Perhaps now she could finally properly apologize to her. "Mayu…about that time back then…" She started, looking back behind her once more to find Mayu had suddenly left.

Panic bubbled in Mio's stomach as she called out her sisters name again, scanning the tree line. Mayu's back was receding into the woods, the young girl following something and trying desperately to keep up. Mio stood, hurrying after her limping twin who was already almost out of sight. She had never seen Mayu so determined to run. "Mayu? Mayu! Where are you going?"

Mayu didn't even slow down, her face turned away as she continued to run faster. It was almost as if she took no notice of Mio's cries. Mio dodged the lower hanging branches and nearly tripped twice from over grown roots but her sister seemed to know exactly where she wanted to go and had no trouble with the terrain. Mio ran faster until suddenly her vision flashed black and white. The trees howled angrily around her, leaves whipping at her frame. The world began to spin and Mio tried to get her bearings once again as she grabbed the truck of a nearby tree to steady herself. Suddenly she caught a glimpse of Mayu again, running after her image through the distortion. For a moment, she swore that Mayu was overlapped by another, a white kimono adorning her features before it was gone again. A trick? A hallucination? Mio didn't think about it at the moment. She continued to sprint after her sister, pale arm stretched out as she reached for her shoulder. "No, stop, wait!" She yelled, inches from the girl's clothing.

She faltered only slightly as she saw the white kimono ghost over Mayu's body once again, before she felt her tiny hand grip the twin's shoulder, spinning her around. An image overloaded her sight, the vision of choking Mayu with her own two hands sheered through her mind. She screamed, pulling her hands into her chest quickly. Blinking slowly afterwards, Mio abruptly was able to see normally once more. Whatever the hell had happened, had it been an illusion or not, was gone. She stared at her hands, watching them shake from the fear and adrenaline running through her veins.

A dream? A nightmare? The raven haired girl glanced around at her surroundings as she tried to calm her thumping heart. It was…nighttime? How? Her eyes stared up at the moon which was the only source of light she had, it's beams breaking through the canopy like tiny beacons. However, grey clouds were beginning to block its silver hue. She had to get a move on and find Mayu. The forest, once welcoming in the daylight, turned into an eerie setting in the moonlight. Everything was darker, almost menacing in a way. Mio tried to remind herself that it was simply because she was lost and quite confused at this point in time. She grew up in these woods, she would be just fine. At least, she tried to reassure herself of that. Turning, she spotted another illumination through the tree line, the flickering of a large fire a few yards away. Looking back along the forest floor, she also found herself on a narrow trail, lined by the trees and other various vegetation, but obvious enough to follow. Just where in the world was she? More importantly; "Mayu!" Mio screamed, heading down the path in a slight jog.

She knew that if Mayu was lost, her sister would have enough sense to seek the fire light too. Not to mention, she couldn't have been far away, right? Mio's mind wandered back to the vivid 'dream' as she hurried along. The world had turned into a olden day movie, black and white and horribly loud. Then, there was the overlapping of the woman in the kimono who looked exactly like Mayu from behind. Who was that? Mio and Mayu had experienced strange things before; visions of people who weren't there. But this was different than before, where usually it was simply seeing the white shadow of a person who disappeared after a few moments. No, she felt as though she were actually touching the kimono fabric which sent a horrible shiver through her body. As she moved closer to the ember glow, she began to approach an old and aged Shinto gate. It looked dilapidated and rotten, leaning to one side. It's once red painted columns were chipped; the top bars cracked and threatening to break away from the structure at any moment. Mio jumped at a voice in front of her, though it took a half minute to see who was actually speaking. A young woman in a white kimono had her face buried in her hands, crying the words: "_I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry_."

The words echoed the entire forest in a haunting sort of way. The stranger also gave off a small white shimmer; far too ghostly white to be alive. Her body was solid and yet near the edges of her kimono, it seemed as if she were fading into the background. Mio stared at the spirit who didn't notice her, sobbing sorrowfully into her hands and shaking. Slowly, Mio moved to the girl's right side to get a better look at her face, only to be startled as a large crimson butterfly flew directly into her line of vision, making her break her gaze for a few seconds. Her lips pursed as she gazed back, seeing the vaporous apparition had vanished. The crackle of the distant flames made her shake off the phenomenon she was having. There were far more pressing matters at hand then apparitions and silly visions that weren't real. "Where…is this…?" Mio whispered as she moved closer to the fire.

Four large pillars stood in the middle of an open area beyond the Shinto gate, the rocks sharpened to a point and about six feet long in height. They were all connected by a sacred rope that she had seen used in shrines. The rope was weaved in a crisscross pattern and had white cloth pieces hanging from them, one inch apart in length. The ropes also moved to the middle where a large stone was, tied together in a knot. It looked like some kind of alter of some sort. Beyond it was two small fires, burning and giving an eerie glow to the polished rocks, dancing and casting shadows. Her eyes focused in the darkness, looking hard at the edge of the open area, which over looked a town. Her eyes widened as she made out a figure among the shapes. "Mayu?"

Her sister turned to look at her, eyes focused in a way that almost frightened Mio. She looked fixated, as though she were possessed. If it wasn't enough to startle the older twin, the many beautiful crimson butterflies that suddenly scattered behind her, was. They reminded Mio of blood, suddenly springing away from her sister as though she had been wounded, even though they danced before their eyes for a moment before moving away and towards the structures behind Mayu. Mio's eyes were torn away from them as her sister spoke, her voice low and not at all like the soft spoken girl she knew. "The Lost Village."

Mio blinked and then slowly moved over to her sister, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking down at the village Mayu was talking about. It indeed was not like the modernized towns she had first thought it to be. The buildings looked old, like they had been there for centuries. The roofs of some of the structures were caved in, the buildings reminding her of the vision she just experienced. Of course, there were still some Japanese civilizations that continued to live in such villages, liking the more olden day style of life than relying on electricity and technology. However, there was something very wrong about the village as well. There were lights scattered here and there throughout the village but she couldn't see any people or hear anything. So, who lit the fires? Mio looked back at her sister, whose intent gaze also was on the mysterious sight, her right hand clutching the front of her dress in a nervous habit; it was something she did as a child even when she was frightened. Mio pulled away to continue to stare downwards. From what she could make out, there were four very large houses. However, through the lack of light, she couldn't exactly make out the little details. "Mayu, let's get out of here….Mayu?"

Mayu was still dazed, her gaze hardened as she mumbled something under her breath that Mio couldn't catch, even standing so close to her sister. Mayu tore her eyes from the village, looking at her sister with a frightened expression, sharing her thoughts, "I heard about this place…a long time ago there was a village here that disappeared during a festival….people who get lost in the woods get trapped by the village….could this be that place?"

She was at a loss for words on how to respond to this new information. A lost village that trapped people whom became stranded in the woods? Were they spirited away by this place? And even more notably, could they get out of this village? Mio turned, shaking her head and chuckling to herself. That was ridiculous. "Mayu, there is no such thing…let's go home." She said, offering her hand to her sister.

Mayu stared at her, almost angered by her light heart in this kind of situation, though Mio honestly didn't believe that there was such a thing as being spirited away. Even so, she let her fingers lace with Mio's, heading back for the trail that had brought them here. The two twins gasped as they made their way back to the Shinto gate. The trail was gone, covered in thorns and thick brush, like that of a untamed jungle. There was no way they'd be able to get through that. Great. Now what? Mayu looked over at the dirt path that led down to the village itself, as if submitting to their fate. "There's nobody here…"

Mio rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Alright…even so, maybe we can find a clue as to how to get out of here…." She muttered, the grip on her sisters hand tightening for a moment before they made their way towards the village and what might be their doom.


	2. Miyako Sudo

Chapter 1;

Miyako Sudo

"_Why_?"

The two sisters made their way down the dark slope, eyes wandering around in the night for any signs of life. Mayu had sworn she heard someone humming a sad lullaby, but she didn't think Mio heard it. In fact, Mio hadn't heard anything since they began their slow pace towards the mysterious village. Pulling into a faster walk, Mio's thoughts kept roaming back to the white kimono girl. Perhaps what Mayu said wasn't far from the truth; maybe they were spirited away here. Mio had been the more practical of the two sisters, always telling Mayu that what she saw wasn't real. Partly because Mio had gained her father's 'no nonsense' way of thinking and the other half was because somehow, Mayu's visions were even worse than hers. Mio glanced at a small stone, having seen the same kind of tomb like rock on the top of the hill. The carving of two twin deities were in them, holding hands. They must have been the guardians of this quiet village. Mio bit her lip as she continued down the path, stopping when she felt the ground shift under her shoe. Lifting away, her eyes gazed over a black bag of some sort. It was like a purse, a woman's hand bag of some sort. Mio leaned down, snatching it off the dirt path. It seemed to be quite modern and in good condition; maybe they weren't alone after all?

Mio felt her subconscious tug at her. Looking through other people's things wasn't exactly very noble but they needed to find out who it belonged to, right? Clicking the silver button, she reached in to find the normal everyday things any woman would carry. A comb, a small container of lipstick, a compact mirror, three pens, a tablet of paper; and then she stumbled upon a picture. There was a woman leaning next to a man. A couple from the way the male wrapped a strong lean arm around the female. Her eyes were light brown and her black hair fell just past her shoulders. Her face was soft and her hands were clasped together in front of her in an innocent way. Clipped to the back of the photo was a frail news clipping that seemed a bit worn. It was from a year ago, the title screaming "Geological Surveyor Missing". Her eyes scanned the clip, reflecting confusion and worry as she read;

"With the start of the construction for All God's Dam approaching, Masumi Makimura (26), a geological surveyor who was dispatched to the area, has gone missing. Mr. Makimura went to the area to investigate the site that would be submerged once the dam was built, but hasn't been heard from for five days."

The All God's Dam? That was the dam that was being built at this very moment! The one that they had held off for a year for- No. Could it be that they had delayed the said project because of the disappearance of this man? And if so, was he still alive here, somewhere within this decaying village? Mio felt a glimmer of hope. Then again, the clip was over a year old. Mr. Makimura could have easily stayed in one of the houses and simply fended for himself this whole time. While there was little nutrition to be had while simply eating vegetation, it could sustain him. There was also a river that flowed through this village, so he had access to water as well. Mio's thoughts were interrupted as Mayu pulled out another news clipping from the back, ripped in the corner. It was probably attached to the clipping at some point. "What's that?" Mio asked, taking the cut out from her sister.

"Whose is this I wonder….who else is here?" Mayu mumbled as she watched her sister's eyes dance across the print, reading it outloud.

"The search for Masumi Makimura (26), the surveyor missing since the fourth of this month, came to a close yesterday. Mr. Makimura had been helping to conduct a geological survey for All God's Dam. As of yesterday, he's been missing for ten days."

"They gave up on him after ten days?" Mayu asked, grabbing her sister's arm and holding it as tightly in her panicked state. "Does that mean they will give up on us too? We'll be trapped her like Mr. Makimura!"

Mio grabbed her sister's shoulders, holding her close and running a hand through her hair. "We're going to be fine. We just need to figure this out together…" She said, trying to calm her own screaming heart. They needed to work fast. Obviously someone had been searching for him, even if others had given up hope. "Dad won't stop looking for us. You know he and mom wouldn't give up."

"Promise me that you won't leave my side?" Mayu pressed, shuttering as she felt her sister's warmth pull away slowly.

Mio's answer was quick and determined, as it always had been with that kind of question. "Of course…now let's go and try-"

Mayu suddenly scrambled a few steps back, her finger pointing past Mio's head and towards the distance. "M-Mio! Look!"

Mio spun around on her heel, ready to defend her sister from a wolf if she had to, only find he mouth opening slightly. In the distance, walking into the nearest house, was a woman. Or what looked like a woman. She was very pale, giving off that same shimmer of light that the kimono girl had. Mio bit her lower lip, grabbed her sister's hand and moved quickly down the rest of the path. "Excuse me! Please wait a moment!" She yelled, trying to pull her sister along with her.

But the woman was gone before they could get near the house. What was troubling was that she had been walking to the old rotten oak door but Mio hadn't heard it open or close, much less seen it move. 'Another ghost…?' Mio bit her lower lip as she looked over the wooden window that was placed on the upper side of the house, obviously to vent in air. On the other side of her was another building, but it's roof was caved in and the walls were cracked here and there. In front of her was another wall to a larger building, which looked like it was still standing but it's roof was collapsed in too at places. The old oak looked rotten and torn over the years, moss growing in patches. Mayu glanced back at the window, nearly jumping as she saw a light rush past it. Mio had caught it out of the corner of her eyes too, before glancing back at the door. Should they go in? "I wonder if anyone's really here…" Mayu muttered.

Mio felt her sister's hand caress her shoulder comforting and Mio found herself clutching it, even leaning her cheek against the cold skin of her sister. But then, Mayu walked passed her to the door. Mio's lips parted, eyes widening as only now the hand was slipping backwards from her shoulder, her sister ten paces in front of her. 'That….isn't….Mayu's-' Mio's mind screamed, her heart stopping as someone hissed in her ear lowly; "_Are you leaving me again_?"

Mio spun around, eyes frantic as she searched the darkness. Was she leaving again? And what was that just now? Her body gave a twitch, stomach knotting as she sensed an uneasy presence coming from the path which they just came from; like a pair of eyes were peering at her. "Mio?" Mayu's voice whispered in a questioning tone.

"Y-Yea…" Mio muttered, not very sure what her sister had said.

Turning, she quickly moved back to the door and opened it. The entrance was small; perhaps ten paces long and five paces wide. It had a dirt floor and broken wooden shoe holder near the door ahead of them. To the left was a large lattice that acted as a window. It let other's peer into what looked like a storage area for kimonos, a closet open in the back with boxes and a few dressers . On the right sat some old clay jars with different putrid smells. The first odd thing about the entrance was that two twin candle holders sat on either side. They were five foot long in length, made of rusty brass and made to hold the old fashion long candles, to burn for long periods of time. The candles were lit and still burning. Who had taken the time to light the candles? Or the fires on the top of the hill for that matter? 'Someone has to be in this village.' Mio thought as she crossed to the other side of the room. And then, she saw it. Out of the corner of her eye, the woman she had seen entering the house stood beyond the bars. Her black hair was pushed forward, face turned in a solemn expression. Her pale arms and legs were slightly see through, giving off a dull glow as she stood there, almost swaying. Her white shirt was torn near the bottom, as was her navy skirt which modestly went down to her knees.

Mio turned to face her completely, shocked that the ghost lingered, black eyes staring at the twin sisters in a sense of longing. Mayu suddenly pushed her forward, to the door. Mio's eyes broke contact and she looked down at the raven haired girl who was now buried in her chest. Glancing back through the barred window, the apparition had disappeared. 'But why…why linger for so long…?' Mio's eyes widened as she suddenly snatched the bag from her waist and looked down at the picture and then back to where the spirit had been. "Mayu…it's her." She said pointing to the photo.

Mayu glanced at it, flinched, and then kept her head placed in Mio's chest for comfort. Mio shook her head, pulling the girl back. "Mayu, calm down. We know what we can see…but they can't hurt us, remember?"

Their mother had also known about their six sense. She had one too. However, she always stressed that these so called 'dreams' could never harm you. In fact, Mrs Akamaru seemed to be more interested in the girl's visions. "When a spirit shows itself, it means it's troubled or perhaps doesn't know how to move on. They aren't anything to be afraid of. Just stay still and leave it be. They'll go away soon enough."

But then…that hand on her shoulder…Mio looked back at Mayu who now clung to her arm, pulling the girl further into the house by opening the door. Inside was a wide open room. The dirt hallway led off straight in front of them, a piece of ripped cloth ghostly waving every now and then from the entrance. The floor was raised up in the middle, by two steps, the wooden deck old and decaying from the loss of being taken care of. In the middle was a fire place which held a small pot for making meals. Another door lay ahead, the more traditional sliding style that was covered with rice paper. Finally, there was a stair case that led to a second floor, the balcony disappearing after a few strides. Mio felt the same pair of eyes staring into her soul from the corners of the room. Why would the spirit lead them inside this house though? What was the point? Another lantern was lit behind a partition screen to her left, where she could seen the indentation of another sliding door beyond. "Isn't anyone here…?" Mio muttered, a bit put off that this was all that the ghost had to show them.

Unless…Mio turned back to her sister, eyes trailing over Mayu, wondering how she would feel about a bit of exploring. "Should we go inside?"

Mayu didn't look like she even saw Mio. Her eyes were twitching back and forth, arms wrapped around her own tiny body, whimpering admitting from her tiny trembling lips as she shook. "Mayu…? Mayu? What's wrong?" Mio asked, voice filled with worry as she grabbed her sister's thin arm.

She gasped as another image sheered through her mind. She was suddenly being thrown forward through the hallway as if in fast forward mode. She tried to yank away, only to have Mayu's hand pull her closer. Mio's eyes widened as she entered the vision again.

Once again, the young woman from the photo appeared before them. However, she looked more solid and sounded much more alive. It was as though they were watching her from an old television set as she called out the same name a few times, searching the dirt hallway by pushing back the dirty blue cloth. "_Masumi…where are you_?" She asked, moving closer to the small bend in the hallway that took a sharp left. Suddenly, the view switched to first person, as though Mio was the woman searching for the geological surveyor. Slowly she crept closer to the turn in the hallway, a voice ringing through the air. It was the woman's but it was much more demonic, loss for breath and hoarse. "_Masumi…where did you_-"

Suddenly the image of another hallway entered her mind, quickly sheering her body with pain. Two young girls with dark hair and matching kimono's were hung in a hallway. Twins, if she were to guess, but the image was gone so fast she couldn't tell. Again, the young woman's voice echoed in her mind. "_The Lost Village_."

An apparition appeared at the end of the hallway of a man with large lacerations to his body. He turned towards Mio and then moved down the hall out of sight. Mio couldn't stop herself as again, the image of twins hanging in the hallway burnt in for a hazy moment. Like an interruption of a film. A man's muddled voice made her inwardly twitch, unable to make out what he was saying. The camera turned the corner finally, leading to a door which slowly began to open on its own, creaking from the old age and lack of use. "_Masumi_?" The woman whispered as she drew closer to the door, opening it slowly.

Mio heard a child's voice in the background as the oak door moved inches and inches open. "_I don't wanna kill_." Came the whisper, and again an image of a large gap suddenly over lapped with a man pointing downwards. It was large, and the man looked like he had something over his eyes, skin down to the bones now. The jumping around was giving her a head ache as the woman finally entered the room, a partition blocking the view from the room until she moved up the steps, gazing at the back of the cut up male whom she had seen moving down the hallway. He was shuttering and shaking, hunched over. And then came darkness and the most chilling voice that she had heard yet. It was female and it was choked out as though it was the last thoughts of the departed. "_I don't want to kill anymore_."

A screamed echoed as the camera suddenly angled upwards to the hanging lamp, which blinded Mio's eyes. She watched in horror as the woman's eyes suddenly rolled back in her mind, mouth agape as though….she were being strangled. And the last horrifying image that her brain registered was an insane laughter of a young girl in a blood stained kimono, the growl of "_WHY_?", pounding into her ears.

Finally, Mio yanked her arm away from her sister's grasp. It was way too much to take in and for a moment, she looked back down at her hands, dazed and confused. Her brown orbs turned back up to Mayu, expectantly. "What was that?" Mio suddenly demanded, shuttering uncontrollably.

Mayu stared at the floor, looking more upset then Mio. Was this the kind of thing that Mayu had to deal with on a regular basis? Her visions were much more violent then Mio's ever were. She shook her head back and forth. "I don't know….I don't know…"

The twins shared a gaze before glancing back up at the room, a sense of dread overwhelming both of them as they kept closer to each other. "Mio…don't go too far." Mayu whispered as her sister moved up the steps. Something had caught her eye. A red note book laid on the ground near the fire place, it's pages ripped and torn but it seemed like the first was still there, intact with the cover. Mayu glanced at the girl and she nodded, reading it out loud to her sister. "I've heard rumors about the lost village before. Long ago, a massacre occurred on the day of a ceremony, and the village was wiped from the map. Twin Deities Statues in the forest lead lost people to the village entrance. Once you pass through the gate however, you cannot go back….The village eternally relives that night of death. The insane laughter of a woman is said to echo throughout the village. The only survivor of the massacre at the village was a lone woman."

Mayu whimpered, looking over the dairy herself. "Someone must have left this here, so…?"

"Yes, someone might still be in the village." Mio said, though the thought of bot being able to leave the village still echoed in her mind. Her eyes went to the door nearest to the lantern that lead into the small room they had seen before from the entrance. The apparition had appeared there before, right? So perhaps if they followed it, they would learn something. Mio stood and grabbed her sister's hand, tugging her over to the doorway. "This way…come on."

Walking into the next room, Mio began to look around. An elegant kimono was hung up before the door, wrapping around to the storage room they saw before. A small dresser near the window held another scrap of paper, which Mio quickly fished up and glanced over.

"Sometimes I sense someone passing by the window. He carries a torch and mutters things. He seems to be searching for somebody, but it's not Masumi. In the distance, I can hear some kind of sad ceremonial song being sung. They say that this village vanished on the day of a ceremony, and that day is repeated over and over again."

Mio felt herself shiver. Another person could be in this village? Another person or another ghost. Moving along to the small closet space, she stopped as Mayu whispered to her, "I feel like we're being watched by someone."

Mayu was right. Staring at the wooden kimono box, the young girl felt a sense of grief and eyes upon her. Turning, she shook her head. There was no use going through this area and she wanted to get out of here now more than ever. Mayu followed her sister, quickly and quietly back out the door. Well, now there was nothing left but to try the door on the opposite side. Sliding the door open slowly, she peered inside before entering. A mosquito net hung to the right, a lump of bedding behind it. There was also another lattice that peered out into a garden. Once Mio was sure it was safe, she slowly stepped inside, Mayu clinging to her and mirroring her every move. Mio moved to the other side of the mosquito net, whose cord drooped from the collective dust and was damp with moisture. There was a human shaped lump under the bedding which was also covered in dust. Near the end of one side, a small piece of paper was tucked. Another note from that woman ghost? Mayu looked over the patterns of the large comforter, muttering in surprise; "A bed?..."

Both sisters began to wonder the same question; whose bed was it? And was there someone underneath those covers? Mio glanced back down at the piece of paper in hand, scanning it idly as Mayu read it over her shoulder.

"Someone! Anyone! Whoever sees this, look for me. I'm trapped In this village. HELP ME! -Miyako Sudo."

"Miyako Sudo? Do you think maybe she was the woman in the pic-" Mayu began to ask until they heard a mournful sound coming from the window across from them.

Miyako moved by the window, staring ahead of her as she crossed the deck beyond the window, her mournful voice sad and full of longing. "_Why_?"

Mio pulled Mayu behind her as she moved closer to the window, looking out to find a lovely view. An atrium that hadn't been tended to in a while was growing rampant; the garden now a mess. Mio could also see a room from the far back, which led out onto the deck, perhaps at the very back of the house. The wandering woman had been giving them clues and so far, she had been helpful. Mio decided to trust the spirit and find out where she continued to lead them. "Come on Mayu."

She stopped to look at her younger sibling who was glancing at a old painting, faded so terribly that there was no color, but the outline of butterflies seemed still visible. "What happened here…?"

Mio bit her lower lip and snatched up her sister's hand, ducking around mosquito net and headed to the door. Mio decided the stairs were next, being closer than the hallway itself was. The wood was old and creaked with every step, but under the weight of two fifteen year old girls, it didn't give away. The pathway took a sharp right, leading to one door. Mio walked over to it, eyes falling on an old lock with a faded symbol. Perhaps the key had a similar design? Mayu also examined the lock in her hand. "This is the sign for ginger. I remember seeing it in a book somewhere."

A key could be anywhere though. Mio felt her confidence slightly deflate as she moved to walk to the end of the hall. Mayu suddenly whispered her name, causing the raven haired girl to turn. She stood by the door, one hand curled to her chest and her eyes were locked on the door. Mio hurried to the frightened twin, only to go deathly still as well. Beyond the old door was the sound of a woman sobbing. Mio and Mayu shared a look. Was someone still alive in this haunted house? "Come on, we need to find that key!"

Mayu nodded, not looking as sure as her sister. In fact, Mio noted that she looked more and more frightened, if it was even possible. With her condition getting worse, Mio knew that it would start to affect her sister's limp as well. They found that the stairs led back down at the other end of the hall, into the dirt path hallway. Across from them was a small alcove that held yet another door, but as Mio tugged on it, it too proved to be locked. 'Now what?' The teenager thought as she looked down the rest of the dirt hallway, the one from the vision. Would they too be attacked once they entered the room at the very end? Mayu took a step forward, startling Mio. "Isn't this the hall-"

Mio took a deep breath and moved forward, screaming as an apparition appeared before them of Miyako, trudging down the hallway around the corner. Her voice turned demonic, angry. "_I kept searching for you_…."

Mio led the way, hurrying after the woman. She was looking for Masumi still? Even in death? Perhaps she never found her boyfriend. Or maybe she had? The door at the end of the hallway wasn't locked, but the twins took their time opening it. The room slopped upward onto a wooden deck. Things were thrown about the small room, a partition screen tipped over and had many holes in it. An old coal bazaar held dust and small bits of ash. The room led out to the deck, as Mio had predicted. It's old oak was broken in at places and the eerie sense of being watched through the window made Mio hate this place all the more. In the corner, there was something stained red on the cushions that laid there. Mio leaned down, running a delicate finger along the moldy surface. Mayu's hand on her shoulder gave her a start, making her whirl around and nearly knock her younger sister down. "Oh!..I'm sorry…"

Mayu handed her another note, making her stomach turn. Suddenly, she didn't want to know anything else about this village. She just wanted to leave. But they couldn't until they found a way out. " Masumi….it's me, Miyako. I came to look for you. Let's go home together. Together, we can make it. Call me if you find this. I'll be nearby. Miss you…." Mio's heart broke as she whispered the words carefully.

Did Miyako ever find her boyfriend? What if she died, all alone in this house? Mayu clutched her sister's hand as they both stood up right. "_DON'T COME NEAR ME_!"

Mio screamed and pulled her sister behind her as a man stood on the deck, staring at him. He was the one from the black and white vision Mayu had. His eyes were hard as he glared at them menacingly. Even as a ghost, the lacerations were clearly seen on his body. Like he had been mauled by a bear or some sort of wild animal. Mio took the man's word for it, grabbing her sister's arm and rushing out of the room and down the dirt hallway. She skidded to a stop as Miyako's ghost appeared in front of them again, slowly walking into the alcove. "_Why_…?"

Mio found herself unable to care anymore about the two lovers. Right now, she wanted out of this creepy house and away from this haunted village. The older twin moved quickly, rushing past the alcove the ghost had disappeared in and towards the front door. "Mayu, come o-"

Mio's heart stopped as Mayu was nowhere to be seen. Her heart echoed in her ears as she turned on her heel and ran back, past the small drapes of cloth, and found her sister standing in the alcove; she was staring at the door, her breath shallow as she clutched her chest. "What happened?" Mio asked, unable to register much else from the scare.

"…There was someone over here…" She said, pointing to the once locked door that was now slightly ajar.

Not waiting for her sister's permission, Mayu walked in the room. It was actually two rooms long, separated by sliding doors. The first room had many dressers and book shelves which were toppled over onto a wooden table. In the corner was a family alter. The second room that hung off to the left was quite bare, save for another small painting and a partition screen. Mio moved in behind her sibling, moving over to the alter; she prayed she'd find a key there or at least another clue to how to get out of the village.

"There's something….strange about this place…"

Mio looked back over at Mayu who was looking through a drawer. "Haunted villages aren't exactly common back home, are they?" She teased, gaining a smile.

Good, at least Mayu still had her sense of humor. "We need to find a way out…I just…I don't like the feeling of this house…even besides the ghosts…there's something not right." Mayu mumbled as she found a more modern day paper out of all the old scrolls, "Mio, listen to this. It's another note from Mrs. Sudo. It says; Sometimes I hear an eerie song-like sound coming from the family alter. It sounds like it's coming from deep below. Maybe it's just the wind? Or maybe there really is something behind that wall….What could she have meant?"

Mio pondered the thought, moving closer to the family alter. The mortuary tablets and incense burners on the family alter were coved with a thin layer of dust. The decorations of gold still shone brightly on the black colored background. Mio sighed as she sat back on the table, glaring at the alter for not giving her any further information. And then came the soft thud of something near her shoe. A flashlight rolled back to her foot before stilling. Mio snatched it up, crossed her fingers and clicked the button. Light filled the room in a circle. This would make things a lot easier, thankfully. Shining the flashlight back around, the girl heard something that sounded like an older gentleman's voice. It was soft and not as clear as the other's but it was there. "_This thing is too dangerous."_

Mio turned the flashlight to the source, her eyes gazing on an old camera that laid on its side along with a small note book. Her hand reached down to grab up the camera and she hesitated. She didn't know why but something felt so off. In that instant, she had no idea what would befall her once she picked up this device. Even so, her hand slowly moved to grip the edge of the camera, almost as if someone were possessing her. Her finger tips were almost upon it when Mayu cried out; "That's-!"

It was too late. Mio's hand seized the camera tightly and she gasped as the world went black and white for a second time that night.

((Alright; so I cut this chapter here because it was getting a bit long. I am playing with the events a bit because there are some parts of the game that are simply grabbing up a puzzle piece/taking a picture and running all the way back to the other end of the damn house. I'm sure you don't wanna read that. Let me know how I'm doing. ))


	3. Camera Obscura

Chapter 2;

Camera Obscura

"_It takes pictures of impossible things_…"

The scenery around Mio changed, as though she had been pulled into some kind of dream. The young female's lips pursed into a frown as she looked around at her surroundings. Lush bamboo was growing around her, a small dirt path leading out of the forest of plants. In the middle of these large shoots was a rock pillar. It was made out of many small stones and roped off by sacred rope, a monument of some sort. Around the rock was more rope, as if to bind it from getting up and leaving…or to keep something inside. Mio's eyes glanced over the hard cold stone, wondering why her stomach felt ready to empty. It was like the very aura around the monument was tainted. Her attention was ripped away from the sculpture of sorts when she heard a voice in her ear. "_So this is…the camera obscura….it takes pictures of impossible things_."

Mio was able to turn her head, watching an elder man slowly approach from the pathway. He had in his hands a camera that looked like the one Mio had touched. In fact, she had no doubt that this was the same camera she was clutching. The man's face was worn yet cautious. He wore a simple white yukata, the sleeves nearly as long as the robe itself. He slowly raised the camera to his face, looking through the eye piece. Mio blinked as suddenly she seemed to be in the man's shoes, looking through the lens and waiting…but for what? She moved the camera to point at the middle of the pillar and nearly screamed, though her voice was caught in her throat, when twenty or thirty ghostly hands sprung from the rocks. They moved at a rapid speed threatening to wrap themselves around Mio. Mio hit the shutter button and closed her eyes tightly in utter fear. When she slowly allowed herself to re-opened them, she watched the white see through hands retreat back to the jagged rocks and the older gentleman, now apart from her once again, had fallen back onto the dark grass. "_What was that_?" The man half screamed at the boulders, his face twisted into a state of utter horror. Not that Mio could hardly blame him. She had seen in a first person view what he had, and she was sure that her reaction would have been the same had she not been dealing with the supernatural already. The man that sat below her placed a shaky hand to his features, which now were contorted with fear and worry. "_I can't believe….so it's true….this thing is too dangerous…._" He slowly whispered to himself, lowering his gaze to the camera.

Mio found herself blinking, as if no time had passed since she touched the said cursed object that she now stared at intently. 'The camera obscura?' Mio repeated over in her mind, almost as if to make sure that she were saying it right. In a way, she was trying to calm down her mind and erase the image of the millions arms of doom rushing out to snatch her away. "Mio?" Mayu's voice mumbled, bring her sister back to realization. She was safe. She was back in the real world, with her sister still here. Mio glanced back at her twin who looked very distraught by her sister's silence. "W-what's that?" Mayu asked shyly, though she didn't seem to want to get near the thing. Mio didn't blame her, because she could only guess the look on her current ghostly white face. Haha. The older twin snatched up the camera without another moment's hesitation, looking over the odd symbols written on the front. Her eye caught papers sitting on the table, perhaps someone had been trying to read them with the flash light? Mayu also saw what her twin spied and moved to sit down, taking the flashlight from her to read over the notes which seemed to be instructions for the camera. Mio felt her grip tighten on the piece of sacred equipment as she listened to her sister speak; "This camera was made by Dr. Aso to take photographs of beings in the spiritual plane that normally cannot be seen. It can reveal events from the past through the lingering thoughts of individuals. It is also able to photograph spiritual beings that are invisible to the human eye." Mayu read, her eyes wandering over to the camera with a worried and shaken look. Mio joined her sister on the floor, holding the light over the very old note book and read the rest to herself. " Taking a photo of an unseen being has an exorcism effect but simultaneously creates a sort of link with them. If the Camera Obsucra is used carelessly, these beings may even gain the upper hand on the user. I wonder if I can photograph the site at the heart of this village's "Forbidden Ritual"? If Dr. Aso were here, I'm sure he would be excited. - Seijiro Makabe."

Mio looked over the notes again, noting how old both they and the camera were. Unlike the flashlight, it wouldn't be farfetched to think they originally came from the house itself. Her lips pulled into a small frown. Why would anyone want to capture spirits of the dead? And did ghosts really become hostile enough that people needed this camera? Suddenly the loud creaking of the wooden floor outside the door made Mio jump up, Mayu practically hanging off her left arm as she stood quickly. "Is someone here…?" Mayu asked, slowly wrapping her hand around her sisters and whimpering as the sound of the wood bending to weight grew louder and louder, till it seemed someone was standing right outside the door. Mio heard her sister whisper her name in concern as she gently shook with fear. Mio knew that Mayu wasn't moving from that spot until she had checked the door, not that she wanted to. But it wasn't like they could actually get out any other way. Slowly the small female inched to the door and gathered up her courage. Nothing was going to hurt her, the spirits couldn't harm her; and what if it was someone looking for them? She moved to stand right in front of the door, slowly placing two hands on the sliding frame. She took a deep breath and began to count to three. When she hit two, the door suddenly jerked open and she was staring at a very pale, very menacing looking ghost in the eye. Black hair cascaded down a womanly face. Mio screamed and jerked back as the door slammed closed. Those dead eyes still burned the back of her mind as slowly, Miyako's image could be seen partially in the door.

The ghost's voice lingered, chilling the air as she muttered and silently cried. Mayu suddenly was behind her, placing her small head in between her shoulders. She had to protect her. Her mind suddenly found itself functioning once again after the internal shock of the supernatural event. She pulled up the slowly camera and took a shot. The camera whined and began to process the film before spitting out a picture. Clearly visible was the female ghost; her body half through the sliding door and her shark like eyes focused on Mio with a silent yet deadly intent. Below, written in small Japanese letters was the word 'Door Woman'. The camera had actually named the photo? But how did it know? Mio looked through the finder again, but the ghost had simply vanished. "It's gone…" She muttered as her dark eyes were still wide and alert.  
Mayu was by her side once again in an instant. "Come on, let's get out of here." She begged, bending to look up at Mio with terror in her brown orbs.  
She nodded to her sister, taking her hand lightly and giving it a soft squeeze of support. She couldn't have said it better herself. The longer they lingered in this haunted place, the longer Mio felt a dreadful feeling wash over her. It wasn't just because of the mournful ghosts and the creepy housing, or even that they were lost in a village that seemed to be in some other twisted dimension. It was as though something far more sinister was watching them from the shadows, waiting for them like a dangerous wolf in the brush of the woods.

Mio slowly tugged open the sliding door again, peeking her head out before pushing it all the way. Mayu was on her like a shadow, whimpering from the sheer fear that pulled at her heart. Mio wanted to curl up, to hide behind her sister's figure and not move an inch. But in her heart, she knew that Mayu was counting on her to be brave and to lead the way out of this hell. So that's exactly what she did. The two sisters moved back down the stretch of hallway quickly, towards the front door. "We'll be out of here soon Mayu. We'll just go back to where we-"  
Her voice trailed off as her frail hand pulled at the door handle. It gave a slight budge but otherwise, the sound of the iron squeaking as she jerked on it, was the only thing that happened.

((Finally updating due to so many likes. This was on hiatus for a long while, but I really hope you guys will review and let me know how this is going. Expect more updates quicker than this last one. I promise.))


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